Senate File 79 - Introduced SENATE FILE 79 BY ZAUN A BILL FOR An Act relating to apprenticeship training delivered via 1 interactive distance learning, and including applicability 2 provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1310XS (3) 88 ko/tm

S.F. 79 Section 1. Section 15B.2, Code 2020, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsections: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 5A. “Contact hours” means the time an 3 apprenticeship instructor spends instructing an apprentice in 4 person or via interactive distant learning. In the case of a 5 lead apprenticeship sponsor with programs totaling one hundred 6 or more total instructional hours, “contact hours” also include 7 the time spent in online training if the total amount of online 8 training does not account for more than thirty percent of the 9 total instructional hours. 10 NEW SUBSECTION . 7A. “Interactive distance learning” means 11 educational instruction and content delivered to a participant 12 via the internet in a live instructor-facilitated environment 13 that is accessible to a participant who is separated by 14 physical distance, and which supports regular and substantive 15 synchronous interactions between all participants and the 16 instructor. 17 NEW SUBSECTION . 8A. “Online training” means educational 18 instruction and content delivered to a participant via the 19 internet in an environment that is not facilitated by a live 20 instructor, and that does not allow for regular and substantive 21 synchronous interactions between all participants and the 22 instructor. Online training includes educational instruction 23 that allows a participant to participate in learning outside 24 of a classroom, or at the participant’s convenience, or 25 independent of an instructor. 26 NEW SUBSECTION . 8B. “Training year” means the calendar 27 year immediately preceding the calendar year in which an 28 apprenticeship sponsor or lead apprenticeship sponsor applies 29 for a grant. 30 Sec. 2. Section 15B.4, subsection 2, paragraph b, 31 subparagraph (2), Code 2019, is amended to read as follows: 32 (2) The total number of contact hours that apprenticeship 33 instructors for all applying apprenticeship sponsors or lead 34 apprenticeship sponsors spent in contact with apprentices 35 -1- LSB 1310XS (3) 88 ko/tm 1/ 3

S.F. 79 during the most recent training year. For purposes of 1 this subparagraph, “contact hours” includes the time spent 2 instructing apprentices in person or, in the case of a lead 3 apprenticeship sponsor with programs totaling one hundred or 4 more total instructional hours, “contact hours” includes the 5 time spent in online training if the total amount of online 6 instruction does not account for more than thirty percent of 7 the total instructional hours. 8 Sec. 3. Section 15B.4, subsection 3, paragraph b, Code 2019, 9 is amended to read as follows: 10 b. The address and a description of the physical location 11 where in-person training is conducted or interactive distance 12 learning is received . 13 Sec. 4. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to training grants 14 awarded to apprenticeship sponsors and lead apprenticeship 15 sponsors for any training year beginning on or after January 16 1, 2019. 17 EXPLANATION 18 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 19 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 20 This bill relates to apprenticeship training delivered via 21 interactive distance learning. 22 The bill defines “interactive distance learning” as 23 educational instruction and content delivered to participants 24 via the internet in a live instructor-facilitated environment, 25 that is accessible to participants who are separated by 26 physical distance, and which supports regular and substantive 27 synchronous interactions between all participants and the 28 instructor. It is distinguished from “online training” which 29 is defined in the bill as educational instruction and content 30 delivered to participants via the internet in an environment 31 that is not facilitated by a live instructor, and that does 32 not allow for regular and substantive synchronous interactions 33 between all participants. Online training includes educational 34 instruction that allows a participant to participate in 35 -2- LSB 1310XS (3) 88 ko/tm 2/ 3

S.F. 79 learning outside of a classroom, or at the participant’s 1 convenience, or independent of an instructor. 2 The bill allows interactive distance learning to be counted 3 toward contact hours for purposes of calculating a training 4 grant award pursuant to Code chapter 15B. “Contact hours” are 5 defined in the bill as the time an apprenticeship instructor 6 spends instructing an apprentice in person, or via interactive 7 distant learning. In the case of a lead apprenticeship sponsor 8 with programs totaling 100 or more total instructional hours, 9 “contact hours” also include time spent in online training if 10 the total amount of online training is not more than 30 percent 11 of the total instructional hours. 12 Current law does not make a distinction between interactive 13 distance learning and online training, nor does it define 14 either term. 15 The bill applies to training grants awarded to 16 apprenticeship sponsors and lead apprenticeship sponsors 17 for any training year beginning on or after January 1, 18 2019. “Training year” is defined in the bill as the calendar 19 year immediately preceding the calendar year in which an 20 apprenticeship sponsor or lead apprenticeship sponsor applies 21 for a grant. 22 -3- LSB 1310XS (3) 88 ko/tm 3/ 3